Improvement in sheep-holders



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

D. R. REED, OF ORANGEVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SH EEP-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,290, dated September 95, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. R. REED, of Orangeville, in the county of Wyoming and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Sheep-Holder; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front view of my invention with the bed-piece in section, as indicated by the line x .00, Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line 3 y, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an edge view of one of'the wheels of the same, showing a modification of the invention; Fig. 4, a face view of Fig. 3, a portion of the same being in section, as indicated by the line 2 2, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new and improved machineforholding sheep while being sheared, and is designed to facilitate the shearing operation.

The invention consists in using, in connection with a stationary or fixed bedpiece on which the body of the animal rests while being sheared, two clamp-wheels placed on screw shafts, and a head-rest, all arranged as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby the sheep may be readily adjusted in proper position and turned as required, during the operation of shearing, with the greatest facility.

A A represent two uprights, which are attached to a suitable bed or base, B, and having screw-shafts G C passing horizontally through their upper ends and working in i11- ternal or female screws, so that when the shafts are turned they will move longitudinally in one direction or the other, according to the direction in which they are rotated.

On the inner end of the screw-shaft 0 there is secured a wheel, D, a similar wheel, D, being secured on the inner end of the shaft 0. These wheels D D have clamps E attached to them, one to each, said clamps being composed of elastic metal plates a, secured at their cen ters to studs 1), which project laterally from the wheels D D near their peripheries, and have the shanks of hooks 11 passing through them, one near each end, said hooks being also attached to the wheels DD near their peripheries, and have the shanks of hooks 71 passing through them, one near each end, said hooks being also attached to the wheelsD D.

The plates (1 are curved to correspond to -may be readily detached or removed when required, and also readily fitted to the upright, and it may be constructed of metal or of wood covered with leather, or other suitable material may be used.

It is not essential, however, that the headrest be attached to one of the uprights G of the bed-piece H. It may be provided with a loop, I, and suspended on the inner end of the shaft 0 or G, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the head rest always remaining in asuspended state even when the shaft to which it is applied is turned.

The feet of the sheep are secured to the wheels D D by inserting them in the hooks b, the elastic plates a holding the feet in the hooks, the wheels being previously turned, so that the shafts C 0 maybe adjusted nearer to or farther from each other, to suit the length of the sheep. The head-rest F is then applied, and the sheep, by turning the wheels D D, adjusted on the bed-piece H, as required during the process of shearing.

It is essential that the head-rest be removable or detachable in order that it may not interfere with the adjusting of the sheep to the device.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pateut The removable or detachable head-rest F, in combination with the fixed bed-piece H and the wheels D D, provided with clamps E, and fitted on the screw-shafts O C, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

D. R. REED,

Witnesses:

MoULToN FARNHAM, MAHLON EAE E. 

